


Filling in the Blanks - Babysitting

by Thefishoutofwater



Series: Filling in the Gaps [14]
Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: F/M, Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 06:37:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13358613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thefishoutofwater/pseuds/Thefishoutofwater
Summary: A day off does not go quite as expected for Jo and Alex but does give Jo some food for thought





	Filling in the Blanks - Babysitting

Jo Wilson lay in the wonderful half state between sleep and wakefulness, enjoying the warmth in her cocoon of covers. Behind her she could hear the steady exhalation of breaths as Alex enjoyed his lie in. For a moment she daydreamed of a life where lazy mid week lie in with the man you loved were easier to come by. She had a rare day off and he was not due into the hospital until much later in the day awaiting a challenging case due up from Southern California. She reached for her phone and checked the time, 9:47 am. She considered reaching for him and then changed her mind. Later. She let her eyes drift shut again.

It was well over an hour later when the screech of Alex’ phone rudely woke her. He sat upright in bed, confused but well rested,

“The hospital,” he muttered as he scrambled to answer, “Dr Karev here?” A pause, “Meredith? What’s wrong?” He listened intently as Jo pulled a t-shirt on and headed to the bathroom listening carefully, “Sure, of course I can. But I’ve got to be at the hospital for four will you or Pierce be in be back by then?” Jo watched as he scratched at his bed hair, “I’m going to grab a quick shower and then I’ll be there.”

He looked at Jo apologetically. She continued prepping a pot of coffee,

“Jo that was Meredith. Bailey’s running a fever and they won’t keep him in Daycare. She’s got an api she can’t get out of and Pierce has been in working a trauma for hours with no obvious end in sight.” He paused, trying to read her neutral body language, “Shepherd’s at a conference in Boston and nanny's sick so she asked if I could go grab him.” I know we were going to get a late lunch somewhere but if I go get him now we could probably eat at Mer’s place.”

Jo took a deep breath, “Okay. We do need groceries though and I was going to go the salon for a massage.Maybe you go sort him out while I do that then I can meet you over there and grab a pizza from that place we like that doesn’t deliver here? That was if Dr Grey gets held up I can stay with him while you go meet your VIP patient.” She smiled as she poured the coffee, “You should probably get a quick shower?”

He started blankly at her. Of all the responses he had anticipated the one he had just received was the least likely,

“Alex stop looking at me like I grew another head. I’m not a monster.He’s a sick little kid and needs to be at home. Go shower.” She planted a kiss on his cheek and pushed him gently towards the bathroom.

 

Reinvigorated post a relaxing, if slightly painful massage and pleased with her newly blowed dry hair Jo stepped out of a cab in front of the Grey household a phone to her ear as she ordered pizza. As she walked up towards the porch Meredith Grey swung her car into the driveway and Jo watched as she breathlessly pulled her youngest daughter from her car seat.

“Afternoon Wilson. I’m so sorry about this. I got home as soon as I could.”

Jo smiled, zen like,

“No issues. I’ve had a great day off and assuming Bailey is sleeping his fever off Alex will be happily enjoying your far superior sports channels I’m sure.” She gave a shy smile at her sometime boss.

She held her arms out for the little girl as Meredith fished around in her purse for the keys. Pushing them into the door she grinned at Jo and shouted,

“Honey we’re home!”

No sooner was the front door shut than she was hit around the knees by her squealing son, Alex following quickly behind on his hands and knees laughing as he false growled at the excited little boy.

Meredith pulled the little boy into her, back of her hand against his forehead as she did so, a reprimanding look on her face as Alex pulled himself to his feet, dropping a kiss on Jo and little Ellis’ cheek as he did so.

“He’s fine Mer,” he assured her, “I gave him a dose of the medicine in your bathroom when we got in and he slept for half an hour or so. Temperature is back to normal and he’s, well as you can see. I think they were being over cautious.” To Bailey’s glee he ticked the little boy around his middle as he spoke.

“Well thank you,” Meredith ran her hand through her son’s hair, “Wilson can I get you a drink? I know we’re out of coffee but we have juice and soda or maybe tea?”

Jo headed to the living room as Alex took the baby from her throwing her up in the air as he did so securing rolling belly laughs from her as she flew,

“I’m good thanks. I just ordered pizza but there’s probably time for you to get a shower if you want to.”

Meredith frowned and moved her nose to her arm,

“That bad hey? If you guys don’t mind I’ll take you up on it. A mom never says no to an uninterrupted shower!”

“Hey Bailey, do you want to get some toys out for your sister?” Alex encouraged gently pulling his girlfriend to his side,

“Thanks again for this, you’ve been a sweetheart about all of this.”

Jo smiled ruefully,

“It’s amazing what eleven hours of sleep does for your perspective on life.” She lifted herself on her toes to kiss Alex. Before she could deepen the kiss she felt a small hand pulling at her jumper,

“These are her favourite books,” Bailey announced pushing a handful of colourful picture books into Jo’s hand, “She likes to be snuggled when you read to her.” He turned to Alex with a triumphant grin, “if the girls read then we can carry on playing.”

Alex looked to Jo, worried that this was pushing it further than she would be comfortable with. She shrugged and held her arms out to take the baby back.

 

Some half an hour later Meredith, damp hair plaited down her back returned to the living room to find her son and Alex gently wrestling around in front of the empty fire place whilst the young resident was curled up in a chair reading quietly to an enthralled Ellis. Meredith stood and watched her son romp for a few minutes loath to break up the domestic scene in front of her,

“Bailey,” she gently admonished, “Bailey you have to let Alex up sweetie. He needs to go to work.” She looked apologetically at the clock.

“Shi..shoot!” Alex stood, “I really do need to go. Jo I’m sorry I’ll get a cab and you can take the car home. I am so so sorry time just ran away today.”

Meredith interrupted, wary about how Jo would take this final act of destruction to her planned day,

“If Jo doesn’t mind waiting I can run her home when Zo gets dropped off from her playdate. It should be a little after five. Also,” she turned to Jo cautious, “pretty sure you ordered pizza you should at least be able to eat it?”

Alex looked to his girlfriend, the question clear in his eyes. She and Meredith had reached a peace of sorts but he was not sure if leaving them together was the best idea.She looked uncertain but nodded slowly,

“Sure. If you don’t mind.”

Meredith nodded, “Not an issue. Bailey say good bye to Alex and come get a glass of juice please.” Alex picked him up and flipped him over his forearm in a mid-air summersault, “Come on Bailey. Let Alex and Jo say goodbye.” Meredith encouraged her son in a tone that brooked no compromise.

“Later buddy.” Alex lowered him to the ground and finished with a hair tussle and fist bump. He watched Meredith and Bailey withdraw before leaning over and kissing Jo deeply he stood,

“Enjoy your evening. And thank you for this afternoon. Really,” he continued lowering his voice into a husky whisper, “And I gotta say that looks good on you.” He tilted his head to the baby cocooned in her arms with a wink and a half smirk. He raised his voice, “Later everyone. I’m off to save a life!”

He slipped his shoes on and walked out keys in hand more than a little apprehensive about leaving his best friend and girlfriend alone.

 

Pizza eaten and Bailey and Zola playing a complicated game of make believe in the little playroom / study Meredith looked at Jo frankly,

“Thank you for today.”

“It’s not a problem Dr Grey. Like I said to Alex he’s a little boy and he wasn’t well. It’s not an issue.”

Meredith raised her eyebrows slightly,

“Well not discounting the fact he seems absolutely fine now I’m still grateful.” She paused debating whether to speak further, “Bailey only vaguely remembers his dad and now the poor kid’s growing up in oestrogen central. He loves his auntie’s but they don’t roughhouse with him like Alex will.” She panicked slightly, “that’s not to say that Alex would replace Derek or that I would want him to, I just…”

“Please. Its fine I understand I think. To be honest I’ve enjoyed spending time with healthy happy kids. I don’t do that at work and didn’t really growing up either.” Jo stared into the distance debating whether to ask the question that had been whispering at the back of her head for months and had picked up volume since the front door opened this afternoon, “Do you think Alex wants all this for himself?”

Meredith was confused,

“All what?”

“A baby, babies, a picket fence. A normal life?” Jo was horrified to hear her voice quaver slightly.

Meredith took a deep, calming breath conscious of the importance of both the question and her answer.

“No such thing as a normal life Wilson… Jo. Trust me on that front. Do I think Alex wants to spend his forever with you? Of course. I know that. **You** know that.”

Jo fidgeted in her seat. The ring box remained a source of quiet tension in their loft,

“I’ve seen Alex face up to the idea of kids before. He’s an honourable man.”

“You mean Izzie when she was getting treatment?” Jo clarified whilst Meredith looked surprised,

“Well yes. And there was a crazy woman and a hysterical pregnancy but that’s not really the point. My point is that Alex would be a great dad, a brilliant one in fact. He’d stand by you tomorrow if you got pregnant, and I think jump at the chance if you offered. But honestly if you didn’t and that was a show stopper on having his forever with you he’d take his forever. There’s more than one kind of family Jo. People like me, like Alex. We make our own.I think you’re the same?”

The sound of a key in the door disturbed them as Amelia rolled her case into the hallway, talking a mile a minute. Meredith rolled her eyes,

“Family! Shall we get out of here?”


End file.
